Dictionary.com

afflict

[ uh-flikt ]
/ əˈflɪkt /
See synonyms for: afflict / afflicted / afflicts on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to distress with mental or bodily pain; trouble greatly or grievously: to be afflicted with arthritis.
Obsolete.
  1. to overthrow; defeat.
  2. to humble.

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Origin of afflict

1350–1400; Middle English afflicten<Latin afflīctus distressed, past participle of afflīgere to cast down (af-af- + flīg- knock + -tus past participle suffix); replacing Middle English aflight<Middle French aflit< L. See inflict

OTHER WORDS FROM afflict

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH afflict

afflict , infect, inflict
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to afflict

annoy, torture, bother, wound, oppress, beset, torment, burden, plague, rack, crucify, smite, pester, pain, distress, agonize, lacerate, grieve, vex, try

Example sentences from the Web for afflict

British Dictionary definitions for afflict

afflict
/ (əˈflɪkt) /

verb

(tr) to cause suffering or unhappiness to; distress greatly

Derived forms of afflict

afflictive, adjective

Word Origin for afflict

C14: from Latin afflictus, past participle of afflīgere to knock against, from flīgere to knock, to strike
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012